Saving Money on Gas
We all know gas prices are at historical highs, but is there anything one can do about it? Conventional wisdom says that you can save money by using premium fuel, filling up in the morning, or using additives, but unfortunately all of them are largely untrue. However, there are a few things you can do to save some money when topping off.
1. Don’t use premium fuel if you don’t need it. If your manufacturer says you can use regular 87 octane fuel, then no need to use premium. The fuel savings are usually so small that you will be spending far more money to buy the premium than what you save from improved fuel effiency. In fact, some manufacturers specify premium just to meet federal fuel standards even though their cars will run just fine on regular. Some cars do need premium, though — one of our cars requires premium to keep it from “pinging” which is the sound engines make when they aren’t burning gas correctly.
2. Find cheap gas. The internet makes this easier than driving around. GasBuddy relies on local spotters to report cheap gas prices in your area. Mapquest and MSN use information provided by a service that reports gas prices charged to fleet vehicles using the stations.
3. Use a GPS navigation system. You’ll be surprised at the shortcuts these handy computers come up with, even on routes you travel each day. As an added bonus, a few GPS systems, like some versions of the Garmin Nuvi, report local gas prices.
